The dining room at Sutro's restaurant at the Cliff House, in San Francisco, Calif., on March 4, 2009.

The dining room at Sutro's restaurant at the Cliff House, in San Francisco, Calif., on March 4, 2009.

Photo: Craig Lee, The Chronicle

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The third Cliff House was built in December 1894 and burned down on September 7, 1907. This photo was taken around 1900 and is one of the few close-up photos of the building in existence.

The third Cliff House was built in December 1894 and burned down on September 7, 1907. This photo was taken around 1900 and is one of the few close-up photos of the building in existence.

Photo: The Chronicle

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Cliff House view gives you a clue about its fame

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The first thing you should know about the Cliff House is that you don't want to get too attached. It's going to burn down. I mean, we can't be sure. Nobody can. But if history is anything to go by, then the odds are heavily stacked against the 146-year-old restaurant perched on the western-most edge of the city, just above the roaring whitecaps of the Pacific Ocean.

Opened in 1863 as a remote fine-dining establishment that catered to three U.S. presidents and prominent San Francisco businessmen (and, in a few rooms in the back, their mistresses for the night), the Cliff House has gone through at least four incarnations, burning down to the ground on Christmas Day 1894 and again in September 1907.

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Oh, yeah, and then there was the time when more than 40 tons of dynamite carried by a stranded schooner exploded there in 1887.

In its time, the Cliff House has anchored the enormous public swimming pools called the Sutro Baths, the seaside amusement park Playland-at-the-Beach and the original Musee Mecanique. Those are all gone now, but you can still find the giant Camera Obscura on the back deck overlooking Seal Rock. If it doesn't burn down by the time you read this.

The modern Cliff House, the product of an $18 million restoration unveiled in 2004, is probably the most boring yet.

Some critics claim that the simple concrete structure resembles a shoe box. That's a good thing. After spending some considerable time as a schmaltzy, overly ornate tourist hub, the building has returned to its sleek 1909 form, housing two real restaurants inside with food made by real chefs that's good enough to draw the locals back.

Of course, you may not notice the impressive high-beamed ceilings or the delicate flavor of the seasonal Dungeness crab bisque, because the main attraction remains the view. From just about any seat in the house, locals and tourists alike can enjoy a sweeping look at the dipping sun, enraged waves and the rolling fog.

It all reminds you why people keep building the place.

Tomorrow: Chinatown

The Cliff House, 1090 Point Lobos Ave. (at the end of Geary Boulevard and the top of the Great Highway), San Francisco. (415) 386-3330. www.cliffhouse.com.

The Chronicle is visiting tourist attractions that many San Franciscans steadfastly avoid, because, well, they're touristy. We'll uncover some hidden and not-so-hidden pleasures - and discover what locals are missing out on.